Embedded PC not responding - Waters Quattro Micro

Discussions about chromatography data systems, LIMS, controllers, computer issues and related topics.

102 posts
I have a "used" quattro micro that I am trying to hook up to Masslynx 4.1 via a IBM Thinkcenter.

I keep getting an error message of "The embedded system is not responding. The system will run in standalone mode".

I have been able to establish communications via another PC that we have already hooked up to another quattro micro, so I believe the EPC and the Micro are both in good working order. Its just not talking to my new PC which is running XP service pack 3.

The EPC appears to be continually rebooting every 2 mins and never getting to a ready state.

I am able to ping the EPC from the PC, but I am not able to connect via telnet. Have performed clean installs of Masslynx. Starting to think its a LAN issue or a password issue ???

Any thoughts or advice would be welcome.
Thanks
The EPC is looking for it's operating system on the workstation's ftp server: You have to properly set up the ftp server and the user "micromass", the EPC will constantly reboot and try to connect.
Leave your e-mail address and I'll send you an instruction document how to do that.

Regards
Jörg
bunnahabhain wrote:
The EPC is looking for it's operating system on the workstation's ftp server: You have to properly set up the ftp server and the user "micromass", the EPC will constantly reboot and try to connect.
Leave your e-mail address and I'll send you an instruction document how to do that.

Regards
Jörg


Hi Jorg, Thanks for the response and the offer of assistance.

Also a question, do I have to use the "micromass" account or can I use another "administrator" account ?

Thanks again, it seems like the knowledge is always out there....somewhere !!!

Mike
You got mail :)

The "micromass" account is mandatory. This is what the EPC uses as login name to access the ftp server.

Good luck, I know it is a PITA to set up working communication (see some of my older posts here)
Jörg
Thanks for your response, guess what I will be playing with all morning !!!

Tell me about it ....I have scanned plenty of forum posts about these types of communications issues !

Thanks again for your help.

Mike
Still no success after going through the PC set up process.

"Embedded PC not responding" message appears on starting up Masslynx.

I am able to "ping epc", and get a response. However, not able to "telnet epc".

So still not getting that "log in" communication from the PC to the EPC...

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Try if ftp works. On the workstation:

Code: Select all

ftp 64.1.1.1

(user): micromass
(pw): analysis
If you don't get connection: check your firewall settings and allow access to the ftp service for the network interface you use for instrument connection.

If you can login, try the following:

Code: Select all

cd masslynx
cd VXworks
get Script.txt
bye


This is what the EPC does when booting: It connects to the workstation's ftp service, gets the "script.txt" and follows the directives in this script to boot up it's control services.
If it does not work, you have not properly set up the ftp service, or you installed MassLynx to the wrong directory (c:\Program files\masslynx\ instead of c:\masslynx for example)

Good luck,
Jörg
Thanks Jorg,

You have set me off on the right path. I was able to connect via FTP, and successfully telnet.

Then if I opened Masslynx, the instrument was present.

It does not work, if I don't connect first via FTP and telnet....so something to figure out later, but for right now at least I can move on to the next challenge of setting the instrument up !

Thanks again,
Mike
Remember, these EPCs need quite long until they are ready. My Quattro Ultima needs about 2 min until it is ready to accept MassLynx.
So boot your PC, wait until your desktop is ready, then power up the mass spec (or hit it's reset button) and wait at least 2 min until you try to connect. If your lab is quiet enough (min is not) you might hear a sound that will remind you of a nintendo-style jump'n'run power up: Then you know for sure it is ready :)

Once it is up and running, don't turn off again.

Cheers,
Jörg
Hello !

I have exactly the same problem ! When I do : "ping epc -t" it gives : Host unreachable. Does the machine need to be connected to a router or directly on the Ethernet PCI card of de PC ?
Note that epc must be defined in the host file to 64.1.1.2. Try pinging directly to the ip address rather then the alias name as a Ethernet card check. Remember that IIS has to be installed and correctly setup including user as well as ftp parameters (see above instructions to check file copy)
Thanks for the reply. I just want to be clear, what is IIS and how can I configure it and configure the histoire file ? I don't really understand how can it works with the IP 64.1.1.2 without any router plug between the PC and the analyser.

I'm a newbie trying to solve this problem :/
After doing some research I found thats IIS is correctly configured because I can connect with FTP to 64.1.1.1 and log on with another PC using OpenDHCP (because I don't have a router). However, I still got the same error message on MassLynx. It is strange because on OpenDHCP I can see the Spectrometer asking for an IP every 2 min as describe below... Moreover, I verified that Script.txt is in C:\masslynx\WXworks and it's OK and I can download it by FTP.
EPC must be defined in the hosts file, pointing to 64.1.1.2. FTP default properties must have no anonymous boxes checked; home dir must point to c:\ and the IUSR_xxx cited in the IIS must match that found in the account manager for file transfer. Ftp service must default to 64.1.1.2 as well. Note that a direct cable from host instrument lan (using no router) would require a cross-over cable.
mhr311 wrote:
the IUSR_xxx cited in the IIS must match that found in the account manager for file transfer.
What is the account manager ? Where I can find it and configure it ? Otherwise, I think my configuration is OK because I can connect by FTP to the workstation using fileszilla and the directory is "C:\" and I can download Script.txt so I guess the EPC must be able to do the same.

mhr311 wrote:
Ftp service must default to 64.1.1.2 as well.
I don't really understand. To be clear : EPC = mass detector 3100 and workstation = PC with MassLynx ? As FTP service is host by the workstation, I can't set the EPC IP and the workstation IP to both 64.1.1.2.

Here is the actual configuration :
Image

The workstation act as a router with OpenDHCP. I can print with the workstation so LAN configuration is OK. I can download "C:\masslynx\WXworks\Script.txt" on the workstation using another PC (with micromass and analysis as login and pw) and the home dir is "C:\" so IIS is well configured, and the workstation IP is well 64.1.1.1 and I can ping OK the EPC to 64.1.1.2 so there is no reason that it dosen't work. I juste have to check the host file.
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